Police Say Suspect Drugged Burrito in Attempt to Kill Wife

A North Hollywood man has been charged with trying to murder his wife by stuffing her burrito with the tranquilizing drug Valium.

James Barnett, 46, has been charged with attempted murder and poisoning for allegedly hiding a large dose of the drug in a burrito he bought June 11 for his wife, Barbara, 45, Deputy Dist. Atty. Susan Speer said.

According to an affidavit for a search warrant returned in Van Nuys Municipal Court Thursday, the Barnetts separated in November and began divorce proceedings shortly before the alleged murder attempt.

Informant’s Affidavit

Los Angeles Police Department detectives requested the search warrant after an informant, who was not identified, told them that James Barnett said six days after the incident that he had spiked the burrito to avoid making alimony payments.

The informant “asked James Barnett what his motives were and James Barnett rubbed his thumb and three fingers together,” which the informant took to indicate money, the affidavit said.

Barbara Barnett told police she had been receiving $2,000 monthly payments from her husband.

Speer said Barbara Barnett believed the divorce proceedings were amicable, and had asked her husband to bring dinner to her at the Shadow Hills home they had shared.

“She wanted pizza and he showed up with burritos, so she ate it,” Speer said.

When Barbara Barnett complained that the burrito tasted bitter, her husband “told her to use some more hot sauce,” the affidavit said.

Detective Alan Michelena, who is investigating the case, said Barbara Barnett became ill almost immediately and was semiconscious for two days. The woman’s daughter, who became concerned about her mother after she was unable to reach her by telephone for two days and then heard an unintelligible response, sent a friend to check on her on June 13.

‘I Don’t Use Valium’

Barbara Barnett was treated at Verdugo Hills Hospital for three days and is expected to make a full recovery, Michelena said.

“At the hospital, they determined it was a Valium overdose, but her first statement was, ‘I don’t use Valium and I never have,’ ” Michelena said.

“At first, we thought there was the possibility of a prank from an employee of a fast-food place and we knew right off the bat something was wrong,” the detective said. However, the husband was not suspected until the informant came forward, Michelena said.

Barbara Barnett told detectives that her husband had been using Valium regularly for about 10 years and sometimes bought the drug in Mexico. Michelena said detectives found a small amount of the drug when they searched the husband’s apartment and his business, Audio Specialties, a North Hollywood intercom systems dealership.

James Barnett, who is free on $50,000 bail, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in San Fernando Municipal Court on Aug. 16.